(above: Interventions of the Anonymous Visitor, mixed media installation, Kate Robertson)
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STREET SHRINES PROJECT:
Artists putting or performing with shrines on Bath's Georgian streets
Kate Robertson from Glasgow did not set out to create shrines as such but collaborated in the process of uncovering Bath's street art potential. However, Bath is an oppressive place - flyposting itself is non existent - due to the efficient sweep up process and this is one of the reasons why it is so challenging. One of the few graffiti zones that exist was created by Kangaroo Kourt in 2003 (Kicking the Can project) on the redundant toilet block at the bottom of Walcot street.
Kate's work appeared with a series of interventions in public spaces in and around Walcot Street and the Centre. The interventions, varying from almost invisible interruptions to more intrusive alterations aimed to wake pedestrians from their beige prison.
Utilising found objects and street debris, as well as performative gestures and text, the work makes reference to art history, in particular debates about art participation and public art, and blurs boundaries between vandalism, graffiti, intervention, art and performance.
The Street Shrine project aims:
-to distract from Bath's 'beige city' image
-to attempt to use street spaces not even thought about
-to make work that is discrete at first glance
-and also to make impact work by choosing a site/object that might be recurring or repeating the same work in many different locations
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